Magnitude 5.1 earthquake in central Peru leaves at least one dead and ten injured

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At least one person has been killed and ten others injured after a 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck central Peru.

The quake hit on Saturday night, with its epicentre near the town of Chupaca in the Andean region of Junín, at a depth of 24 kilometres.

Seventeen minutes later, a magnitude 3.7 aftershock struck the same area. Authorities say its intensity was much lower than the main quake, which was felt moderately in Chupaca.

Officials are continuing to assess the damage.

The worst damage was reported in the district of Chongos Bajo, where the fatality occurred, although authorities have not yet identified the victim.

In the regional capital, Huancayo, two hospitals were damaged, including the Daniel Alcides Carrión Hospital, which treated the injured, and the El Carmen Mother and Child Hospital, where cracks appeared in the paediatric intensive care unit.

The earthquake also damaged several historic landmarks, including the Cani Cruz stone cross in Chongos Alto and parts of the old Santiago de León convent.

Cani Cruz, Chongos Altos

The earthquake also caused power cuts in several districts. According to the first assessments by the National Emergency Operations Committee (COEN), the roads in the national highway network were not affected.

Peru lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world’s most seismically active regions, where around 85% of global earthquakes occur.

Authorities say earthquakes of magnitude 5 or higher strike the Chupaca area roughly every 13 years, while smaller tremors are far more common across the Junín region.

Although earthquakes cannot be predicted, officials say seismic models help identify the areas most at risk.